Seam for sewed articles



Aug. 18, 1931. R. R. CARVER A 1,819,407

SEAM FOR \SEWED vR'IICJS Fi\led Dec. 4, 1928 @il Z;

Cltboz na Patented Aug'. A18, 1931 UldlT-- STT PATENT FFICE j: ROBERT R.. CARVER, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL IyIACHINE COMPANY, OF'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS sEAlvrA Fon snwnn ARTICLES Application filed December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,624.Y

rows for the purpose of ornamenting the article in which they areembodied as well as for securing parts of the article together.

An object of the invention is to provide a seam of the above character wherein the mneedle thread loops are so secured that the lines of stitching may be simultaneously formed in the article and the lines curved in either' direction as they are laid without varying the distance between the lines of stitching.

` A further object of the invention is to provide a seam of the above character wherein the needle thread loops are all secured by a single looper thread and wherein a cord may be laid between certain of the lines of the needle thread loops and beneath the looper thread for the purpose of giving a ribbed ornamenting ell'ect to the article.

ln the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view showing on an enlarged scale and diagrammatically a view of the seam from the right face of the article.

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the other face of the article.

F 3 is a view showing the curving of the .lines of stitching for ornamenting and stitch ing parts of the article together, which is very desirable in the stitching of shoes for connecting the upper to the vamp.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the needles and the single looper for producing a seam of the above character.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view transversely of the line of vfeed and showing a cord secured by the lines of stitching and looper thread so as to give a ribbed effect to the seam.

The invention is directed to a seam for sewed articles and more particularly to a seam which includes a plurality of parallel l'lines of stitches which may be used to ornament the face of the article as well as secure the parts together. Each line of stitching includes a needle thread formed into loops which are passed through the article. A loop Lis formed in each needle thread at the same time and these loops are secured by a loop in a looper thread. The needles are set abreast, that is7 in a line at right angles to theline of feed and a single looper enters the needle thread loops in succession and thus forms looper thread loops which secure all of the needle thread loops. i

Referring more in detail to the drawings, fabric sections ornamented and joined by the improved seam are indicated at A and B. These two fabric sections are superposed. In the present embodiment of the invention there are four lines of stitching and the needle threads forming the same are indicated at 1, 2, 3 and 4. These needle threads are formed into loops. The four lines of stitching are made by four needles respectively'indicated at 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The four needles .are set abreast, thatis, at right angles to the line of feed which is indicated by the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2.` The four needles when they penetrate the fabric sections form four needle thread loops. These are formed simultaneously. A thread carrying looper 9 enterslirst the thread loop of the needle 5,V

then the thread loop of the needle 6, then the thread loop of the needle 7, and finally the thread loop of the needle 8.

The looper is provided with a thread indicated at 10. The needle thread loops of the needle thread 1 are indicated at 11'in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The loops of the needle thread 2 are indicated at 12; the loops ofthe needle thread 3 are indicated at 13 andk the loops of the needle thread 4 are indicated.

at 14. The looper forms a loop in the looper thread 10 which passes in succession through l these needle thread loops as stated. Y The strand of the looperthread loo is held so that the needle thread loops 11 and 12 are passed between this strand and the looper, and thus in the finished seam, this strand lof the looper thread extends about the needle thread loops 11 and 12 formed by the next descent of the needles.

The looper thread loop is also expanded as indicated at 16 so that the needles when thread loop. Thus it is that the looper thread is firmly locked by these needle thread loops. The strand l5 extends diagonally across from one line of stitching to the other, while the other strand 15a of the looper thread loop extends at right angles to the line of feed and the line of stitching. This arrangement of the looper thread makes a very durable connection for the needle thread loops and one in which the strands of the looper thread loops are spread out so as to cover well the fabric between the lines of stitching.

The seam is particularly adapted for stitching fabric sections where it is desired to curve the lines of stitching, such for eX- ample, as in the joining of a shoe upper to the vamp. The lines of stitching follow the curvature of the vamp and serve to ornament the shoe as well as secure the parts together. With the needles set abreast and a single looper cooperating with the needles, the direction of the line of stitching may be curved as indicated in Fig. 3 where the lines are curved about the point a as a center. The curving of the lines of stitching where the stitches are all formed at the same time and in a line at right angles to the direction of feed does not change the distance between the lines of stitching in any way. It is true that the distance between the stitches in the different lines ofy stitching will be of different length when rstitching in a curved path, but the laying of the stitches will be in lines which are equally spaced throughout. This gives an ornamental effect which is uniform throughout.

As. shown in Iig. 5 of the drawings, a cord 17 is laid against the under face of the fabric andthe looper thread l() is laid over this cord. The cord forms a rib in the fabric sections when the fabric sections are placed against the cord and support beneath the same. The stitches are passed through the fabric sections while thus shaped and the looper thread joining the lines of stitching will hold the fabric sections so as to retain the rib formed therein.

While I have shown in the drawings four needles, it will be understood that other combinations of the needles may be had. It is essential, however, that there shall be a wide spacing between the groups of lines of stitching which is considerably widerthan the distance between the line of stitching in each group. There may be one, two, three, or more needles in each group and the groups will be spaced as stated. No matter how many lines of stitching may be produced, a single looper cooperates with all the needles and it is this which permits the needles to be set abreast and permits the curving of the direction of feed either to the right or left without varying the distance between the lines of stitching in the groups or the distance between the groups of lines of stitching.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz- A seam for sewed articles comprising a fabric, a plurality of groups of rows of needle thread loops, said groups being spaced a greater distance than the rows in each group and the needle thread loops in the several rows being` disposed in lines extending transversely of the seam, va single looper thread having loops formed therein extending through the alined needle thread loops in all of the groups, said looper thread being secured by the needle thread loops in one of the groups formed in the next stitch and one of the strands of the looper thread loop between the groups being carried laterally and extended about the needle thread loops formed at the next stitch in the other group.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ROBERT R. CARVER. 

